VHPANJ

4th Hindu Heritage Day
2019-06-15 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
A Grand Success!

New Jersey chapter of the VHPA held their 4th Annual Hindu Heritage Day 2019 to celebrate the rich and diverse culture of the Hindus in America. The family friendly festivals was themed “ Contribution of the Hindu American”. The event consisted of fusion of music, dance, arts and crafts, poster competition, college student panel and, of course, delicious food cooked on site by the VHPA volunteers.
First the first time in the history of the Hindus in NJ, the State of New Jersey issued a proclamation to recognize June 15, 2019 as the official Hindu Heritage Day. A letter from Governor Phil Murphy congratulated the organizers and participants for celebrating their rich culture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_zbBPDCINs
Highlights :-

Full day cultural fair – Hindu Heritage Day (HHD)
Cultural program consisting of songs, dances and musical plays
Poster competition on “Contribution of Hindus to America”
Panel of college students to discuss what it takes to get admission to ivy league schools
Photo booths with regional themes
Exhibits and programs to disseminate Indian heritage in entertaining manner
NJ Proclamation of June 15, 2019 as the official HIndu Heritage Day
Governor Phil Murphy’s letter of congratulation

Read More about HHD-2019

State of NJ Proclamation & Governor’s Letter

PROCLAMATION LETTER

GOVERNOR’S LETTER

Selected Posters form HHD

Student Panel
https://youtu.be/ZBWYGWKujXQ
Part 1
https://youtu.be/JVuoQF2j2q0
Part 2
https://youtu.be/XDLR7cJORZs
Part 3
https://youtu.be/-auTYumXwVA
Part 4
https://youtu.be/bQBLXMkTlzI
Part 5
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Maha Shivratri
2019-03-10 08:00 - 17:00
Press Release

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America Holds Grand Maha Shivratri Puja with Nearly 150 Attendees
Kendall Park, NJ, Sunday, March 10, 2018—The New Jersey chapter of theVishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) held a “Maha Shivratri Puja” on March 10 that was greeted with an overwhelming response by the community. It was held at the Bharat Sevashram Sangha Temple in Kendall Park, NJ, from 3 – 7 PM, and nearly 150 people took part. It was open to all community members and completely free for everyone.
What sets this event apart in the community’s eyes is the child-centric focus of the puja. Almost every family brought their kids to the event, and the youthful energy brought the mandir to life! Directed by the Smt. Tejal Shah, the kids were engaged in performing Rudra Abhishek. The literal and symbolic meaning of every step of the ritual was explained by Tejal Shah Ji, and under their parents’ guidance, the children took the lead in performing the puja. The puja was followed by Aarti and homecooked Prasad made lovingly by the VHPA volunteer team.
The full puja thali, including all puja samigri (paraphernalia like puja supari, panchamrita, and naivedaya), was provided to each family free of cost. In the 3-hour puja, Shivalingas were first offered a seat of flowers, than fragrant water, followed by a bath of milk and panchamarita, among many other offerings. Shivalingas, as well as small murtis of Ganeshji, were brought especially from India. In fact, the number of attendees was almost double the number that came last year, and after giving everyone a thali, VHPA volunteers found that even the surplus items they had kept were running out!
The event was a smashing success. All families really enjoyed the experience, and the little ones were attentive and observant throughout the program. Everyone enjoyed the delicious prasad that was offered after the Aarti as well. Participants were eager to come back next year. Many were also planning to attend VHPA’s Hindu Heritage Day program, a summer celebration of Hindu culture with an expected 2,000 people from all over New Jersey partaking in the festivities.
“VHPA wants to provide today’s youth with the opportunity to connect with their heritage and feel proud of the rich history and culture of India. Offering this program free of cost to the community is just a small way in which we hope to bring pride to the vibrant Hindu community in New Jersey. Also, we have the chance to invite other members outside of the Hindu community for a fun and meaningful experience. Truly, the event surpassed everyone’s highest expectations and we could not be happier with the results.” says Brahm Sharma, President of the NJ Chapter.
Arun Joshi, Secretary of the NJ Chapter, adds, “The Maha Shivratri Puja only grows more and more popular every year—this year, we had twice the number of families as last year!”. In the future, the organizers of this event look forward to expanding the event to involve even more youth and community members.
“This program is a sincere labor of love and one of the ways VHPA hopes to give back to the wider community. We are thrilled by the enthusiastic support of our events,” says Jai Bansal, Treasurer of the NJ Chapter.
About the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America/ World Hindu Council (VHPA):
VHPA is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit and volunteer-based charitable organization, founded to address the needs of the Hindu society and support humanitarian causes worldwide. For more information, please contact NJ Media Coordinator Rohan Sharma at (609)-937-3034 or at rohanwcb@gmail.com.
Comments from One Parent…

Thank you all for the excellent event. I feel kids can learn a lot and understand our culture with these events. The Priest was very nice and explained the importance of puja to kids , the encouragement was excellent. Events for kids is valuable. The center was very impressive with all the god murtis…(Pallavi).

Listen to What Many Participants had to say about the Event
https://youtu.be/ZfByui0rh3Ehttps://youtu.be/VkSWEeQ5NN8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnf3n7mkF38https://youtu.be/cps1nJcaY94https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SSW_k6uqkQ

VHPA Annual Dinner
2018-12-15 16:30 - 20:30 | Gayatri Chetna Center, 240 Centennial Ave, Piscataway Township, New Jersey 08854
Annual Dinner – 2018

Sewa Diwali Food Drive
2018-11-04 08:00 - 17:00 | All over central NJ
40+ Hindu Organizations Joined Hands in New Jersey this Diwali Season…
The NJ chapter of the VHPA has joined hands with all the major Hindu organizations in the area this Diwali season in running a food drive for the less fortunate members of our communities. Dubbed as #SEWADIWALI, this project ran through the months of November and December 2018. This first time effort was a complete success. Several tons of food was collected and delivered to various food banks around the state. The VHPA team was able to contribute close to 500 pounds of food to Hamilton Township and Somerset County food banks. Well done SEWA DIWALI team!!
Let us all continue to light the lamp of SEWA in our respective communities!

Click to find out more about #SEWADIWALI

SEWA IS ALL ABOUT HELPING THE NEEDY!

Back-to-School Supplies Drive
2018-08-05 08:00 - 17:00 | In collaboration with HomeFront, Inc., Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648
Our Volunteers are the Best! 25 Backpacks Donated..
The New Jersey chapter of the VHPA joined hands this year with Homefront NJ in a back-to-school drive. Thanks to the generosity of our Hindu community, we were able to raise enough funds to donate 25 backpacks with all the supplies for the needy middle and high school students.

The highlight of the campaign was the spirit of giving shown by two young members of our community, Dhruv Gupta and his little sister, Anusha. They gave up their weekend to help with unpacking the supplies and preparing the backpacks. Most touching moment was when Dhruv decided to donate his very first check he earned towards this initiative! We need to inculcate this kind of spirit in our children so they can understand the value of volunteering and helping the less fortunate members of the society. Well done Dhruv!
Twenty five backpacks is good beginning for a first-time initiative. Let’s aspire to do even better next time. Surely 100 backpacks should not be difficult target for 2019 for the NJ Hindu community!

VHPA Picnic 2018
2018-07-14 12:00 - 22:00 | 1 Wheeler Way, Princeton, New Jersay 08540
Grand Success !
This was the first picnic by VHPA New Jersey in a long time. More than 80 members and “future members” attended the event. Even though it turned out to be a very hot day, everyone seemed to have a great time. VHPA provided the food, attendees provided the merriment…all in all a great combination. We even had a poetry recital by a guest visiting from Bharat!
Our thanks go to all who attended, those who decided to become VHPA members and especially to our dedicated volunteers, without whom we would be no where.
Looking forward to the 2019 edition!

2nd Hindu Heritage Day
2017-09-30 11:00 - 17:00 | 98 Raider Road, North Burnswick, New Jersay 08902
The Program :-
The New Jersey chapter of the VHPA organized the HHD to celebrate India’s diverse culture and heritage. The family-friendly festival, open to all community members, was themed “Glimpses of the States of India”. It incorporated a fusion of music, dance, arts and crafts, food and cultural activities from the various states of India.
HHD Objective :-

Organizing a full day cultural fair – Hindu Heritage Day (HHD)
An educational and entertaining event for the whole family
Display of performing arts of different regions of India
Participation in traditional games
Sampling of regional foods
Photo booths with regional themes
Exhibits and programs to disseminate Indian Heritage in entertaining manner

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3rd Hindu Heritage Day
2017-06-16 00:00 - 18:00 | 156 Schuyler Ave., Keamy, New Jersay 07032
The Program :-
The New Jersey chapter of the VHPA organized the HHD to celebrate India’s diverse culture and heritage. The family-friendly festival, open to all community members, was themed “Glimpses of the States of India”. It incorporated a fusion of music, dance, arts and crafts, food and cultural activities from the various states of India.
HHD Objective :-
“VHPA wants to provide today’s youth with a platform to exhibit their talent and skills, and connect these second-generation youth and their families with their rich heritage,” says Brahm Sharma, President of the NJ Chapter. Arun Joshi, Secretary of the NJ Chapter, adds, “By making HHD an annual event, we want to help the public understand cherished Hindu values and different aspects of the vibrant Indian tradition.” Jai Bansal, the Chapter Treasurer feels that the Hindu Heritage Day provides an excellent opportunity for our children to develop deeper understanding of their heritage through activities like the Poster Competition in a fun-filled atmosphere.

Click to Read More…

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1st Hindu Heritage Day
2016-07-09 13:00 - 19:00 | 98 Raider Road, North Burnswick, New Jersay 08902
The Program :-
Our program committee has put together a spectacular show for you all. In addition to many classical dances and songs, the program also includes many exotic items rarely performed on stage in the US, such as a play in Sanskrit. Attendees will enjoy skits performed by local children, dance drama based on classical dance forms, musical performances, melodious songs, among many other performances. Everyone will benefit from Swami Adhyatamananda ji’s discourse on how to relieve stress. Adults will enjoy the full-feature Hindi plays while kids can fly kites, play outdoor field games, and try their luck on indoor carnival games.
Day (HHD) is a fun filled day with activities for people of all ages and interests. The event will showcase exuberant displays of artistic and spiritual heritage of India.
HHD Objective :-

Get children interested in learning more about Hindu Heritage and Values
Provide understanding of Hindu Values to American population
Promote Dharmic Values in the local populations
Engage young Hindus and the families in volunteer and community activities
Provide a platform for children to perform their skills (Baal Vihar learnings, Arts, cultural knowledge and folk performing arts)
Provide a forum for commercial activities related to Hindu Heritage
Create awareness of VHPA and other Parivar organizations in the community
Provide a platform for children to perform without competitive pressure

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